


The Life and Times of Maggie Barnes

by BubbleBakerPenguinPie



Series: The Life and Times of Maggie Barnes [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Babyfic, Babysitting, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Fluff, Gen, Kidfic, Parenthood, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 00:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3548900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubbleBakerPenguinPie/pseuds/BubbleBakerPenguinPie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we are, the series commences! This story will have a looser structure, more like a collection of one-shots than consecutive chapters, though of course the installments of this story will still belong and refer to each other. It just won't be as strictly as in part 1. Am I making sense? Anyhow, you'll see what I mean</p></blockquote>





	1. Psychobabble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, the series commences! This story will have a looser structure, more like a collection of one-shots than consecutive chapters, though of course the installments of this story will still belong and refer to each other. It just won't be as strictly as in part 1. Am I making sense? Anyhow, you'll see what I mean

“That is all very well, but I’d rather talk about you.”

James looked up at his therapist (early forties, solid build but no fight training, no weapons), assigned to him through some of the worm-hole like channels available to Steve via his Avenger- and SHIELD-friends. He hadn’t exactly liked the idea of having to open up to a complete stranger; then again it had, surprisingly, been easier to talk to this man than Steve and his expectations. Besides, it had been made clear to him that he wouldn’t be allowed to keep Maggie if he didn’t play along.

“I don’t … exactly what have I been doing here for the past hour then, Doctor?” he asked with slight irritation. Dr Garner rubbed the bridge of his nose thoughtfully, weighing his words before he answered.

“Frankly, Mr Barnes, you spent these last sixty or so minutes gushing about the baby and really not much else.”

James’ fists clenched reflexively. He hadn’t really, had he? He’d told the man everything that had happened between getting out of HYDRA and him going back to Steve. He certainly hadn’t been gushing. Wasn’t Dr Garner supposed to be happy about him displaying emotions freely after HYDRA had done their utmost to burn such perceived weaknesses out of him?

He pouted, crossing his arms defensively. Maggie was taking her afternoon nap right now, being conscientiously watched over by Steve and Sam, but he already missed her. He surreptitiously checked his watch. Maggie would wake up soon. He honestly considered just walking out; this was only his second appointment. The first had largely consisted of a plethora of tests to assess his mental faculties and general health. James wondered if he could get away with blaming his eccentricity on his various traumas…

“Mr Barnes, the child’s welfare is as much of a concern for me as yours is.” Dr Garner jarred him out of his thoughts.

“Her name is Maggie.” He shot back defensively, glowering at the man. It rubbed him the wrong way that he was so impersonal when referring to her. “She has a name, and I would really appreciate it if you called her by it. She is a person, you know. I won’t tolerate this. If you can’t treat my daughter respectfully I can’t work with you!”

His voice had risen gradually, and he along with it so that he was now standing in the therapist’s office with tensed shoulders, scowling at the man who was still comfortably seated in his armchair. Looking summarily unimpressed one might add. In fact Dr Garner was smiling subtly. James huffed, squaring his shoulders for good measure before sitting back down.

“That was some kind of test, wasn’t it?” he deflated, narrowing his eyes slightly at the other man.

“You’re very perceptive, Mr Barnes.” The doctor remarked, jotting down something on his notepad.

“Had to be to survive. Did I pass?”

“It’s not the pass or fail kind of test.”

James grimaced, forcing himself to relax back against the couch he was seated on and seem non-threatening. “Then what kind of test is it? Are you worried I’ll go all Winter Soldier on an eleven-month old?”

Dr Garner tapped his pen against his notepad thoughtfully, but he made no move to deny it. He made no move to confirm it either, but James was too used to expecting the worst. He ran a hand over his face.

“You can’t take her from me.” He declared dully, staring at the carpet between his feet.

“Mr Barnes, no one will take Maggie from you unless there are genuine concerns for her well-being. Look, I don’t think you’re capable of harming her, and you did a good job of caring for her this past half year, but you are yourself still unstable. I don’t want you endangering your own recovery because you’re projecting. She’s barely a year old; you said so yourself.”

James sat silently a moment, letting the therapist’s words settle.

“Projecting?” he echoed flatly. Dr Garner put his notepad away and leant forward, giving him his full attention.

“We can work everything out here. That’s what these sessions are for.” He sat back in his chair, giving James a reassuring smile.

“I will see you here again on Tuesday. Have a good weekend, Mr Barnes.”

“Yeah, you too, doc.” James answered, a bit shakily, and stood to shake the doctor’s warm hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dr Garner is heavily inspired by the character of that same name in Agents of SHIELD, but this isn't supposed to be the same person; just a nod because I immediately really liked that character^^


	2. Vaccinate your Kids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to DragonSing for leaving the first comment, or, in fact, for leaving a comment at all^^  
> Hope y'all had some lovely days whichever festivities were happening for you

Maggie had to be the squirmiest, wiggliest baby in the world, he concluded. She was an otherwise mostly well-behaved child if you didn’t count her aversion to spoons (or rather her utter delight in flinging spoons across the room, if one were to be precise), but she seemed completely unable to keep still for even just a minute. The fact that she had discovered how to roll around some months prior did little to alleviate this predicament.

"It’s like wrangling an octopus on a sugar high. The day when you can dress yourself cannot come soon enough." he scolded her mildly, gently pulling the little green polka dot dress over her head for the third time, finally succeeding.

“This round goes to me.” He informed her smugly while wrestling her arms into the sleeves of a cardigan. Maggie responded by pulling off her left shoe and hurling it over his shoulder. James sighed, lightly touching his fingertip to the point of her nose and firmly saying ‘No.’ Maggie looked summarily unimpressed and a little bit smug.

“Oh, just you wait young lady. Very soon you’ll be old enough that I can make you pick everything you throw around back up. And I will, and I will enjoy it.”

“Nah, you’re gonna spoil that kid absolutely rotten, Barnes. She’s already got you wrapped around her little finger.”

James looked over to where Sam was leaning in the door frame, a shit-eating grin on his face like the exact same wasn't true for him.

“Don’t tell my therapist.” He replied earnestly. “Swear on it, Wilson.”

“Scout’s honor.” The Falcon decreed solemnly, raising his hand in a mock salute.

“You were never a scout.” James shot back, hoisting Maggie up on his hip. “Let’s go.”

Steve joined them at the door and together they walked the short distance towards the lab where Doctor Banner was waiting. Tony Stark had offered Steve a place at his tower, but Steve had only agreed on the condition that whoever he brought along would be welcome as well. Stark hadn’t been too keen on the idea of him bringing strangers into his home, but had relented quickly once Steve had told him the whole story and before he knew it, James was back in New York, only this time in a high-rise building in Manhattan that was futuristic even for this century.

And now they were on their way to the last appointment with Bruce Banner, who had kindly offered to oversee Maggie’s medical care. While on the run, James hadn’t exactly had the opportunity to take care of things like vaccinations for fear of anyone finding them that way.

"Lucky then, that she's got your enhanced immune system, too." Bruce Banner said kindly, preparing the vaccine out of Maggie's sight. She hadn't exactly been a fan of being pricked with needles and regarded the good doctor with a certain measure of wariness. 

"Believe me, peanut, this is absolutely preferable to croup." James commented, thinking back to when he'd had caught that particular illness at the tender age of nine. The only time in living memory that Bucky Barnes had been sicker than Steve Rogers. He pulled a face, realizing too late that this wouldn't have the reassuring effect on Maggie he'd aimed for. She buried her little face in his chest when she saw Doctor Banner stepping closer, letting out a fearful whine. 

"Maybe we should try to distract her?" Steve wondered aloud, without any idea how to actually go about it. Previous tries had made it painfully clear that making faces or offering toys just did not work. Maggie was smart enough to know when she was being played. James rocked her gently and sat down on an examination table. 

"Here's the plan: we do this as quickly as possible and hope that we get it before she realizes what's happening." 

There is conspirational nodding all around while James still cradles Maggie's head against his shoulder, because if she catches on to what they're planning there is no way in hell they'll manage, see the incident from the second-to-last appointment which is not to be spoken of ever again. Their training puts them at a slight advantage and somehow the four of them combined manage the feat at the speed of light, leaving Maggie to a moment of confusion before the pain from the needle registers and she screws up her little face, turns an alarming shade of purple, and wails loud enough to bring a house down. 

James managed to calm her down, though he supposed it had more to do with her having decided on a different plan of action that her actually being soothed or pacified. Indeed she wriggled away as soon as they were in safe distance of the lab, demanding to be set down. The next thing they knew, she was crawling down the hallways purposefully, giving them all the cold shoulder. Steve looked as devastated as James felt, and Sam at least twice as guilty as the three of them tottered after the pouting baby slowly. 

"You guys are hopeless." Clint Barton called when the group passed by him in the communal area on their way. The archer smirked knowingly at them, receiving a round of half-hearted glares in return. Maggie perked up considerably upon seeing the man. She knew he had a dog and he hadn't been anywhere near when she'd been subjected to what she no doubt considered abominable treatment, so as far as she was concerned he represented all that was good in the world at the moment. She took a sharp turn and crawled until she could pull herself up by Barton's pants leg. 

"Woo-woo!" she demanded, with a pouty little frown. 

"Lucky isn't here today, oh tiny one." 

"Laa-kee." Maggie reiterated earnestly, looking up to Barton for approval. 

"Barton, I swear of her first word is the name of your damn dog..." 

"Wow, you'd think Ice Age 1 and 2 would have more chill." Clint grinned, crouching down so he could direct the statement at Maggie rather than the two super soldiers it so good-naturedly disparaged. She giggled when he gently poked her cheek. "Now, why are you so cross with your daddy brigade?" 

"Vaccination." Sam supplied, looking fondly at the no longer sulking infant. 

"I see." Barton answered, making a commiserating face that caused Maggie to giggle some more. Barton smiled softly. 

"She'll have forgiven you by dinner time." he decreed confidently, and even though experience suggested that he was right it still hurt James to be so pointedly ignored at the moment. Then again there really was no better way than food to get back into Maggie's good graces. 

"We still on for next week Thursday?" Barton asked between making funny faces at the giggling baby. "Ya know, big party and all?" 

"It's just coffee and cake, nothing too big. She's only turning one." James said absently. 

"Precisely. First birthday for the little munchkin - that's special." the archer argued and James sighed. He hadn't known the other Avengers long, but he already knew how things could get when they got together. 

"Maybe we could try to keep the property damage to a minimum. Gotta leave something for the teen years."

James grimaced, locking eyes with Steve and then Sam before sighing again and sitting down on one of the plush couches to keep an eye on his baby. 

"Laa-kee!" Maggie said decisively, putting a hand on Clint's cheek and looking at him intently for a moment. The archer looked like he might melt on the spot for a moment. 

"I'll bring Lucky along, don't you worry. I'll even accept the fact that you only like me for my dog." 

Maggie nodded sagely, patted his knee and crawled onwards, making her way back to the apartment that was now her home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> croup is another name for diphteria, which, if you've ever had it, you know it really isn't pleasant. and for those of you with a passion for history, you might wanna check out the story of the Nome Serum Run, though be advised that it contains a lot of death :( of children and dogs D:


	3. The First of many Candles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Bullla (is that the correct amount of 'L's?) and everyone else for commenting (and the kudos, and the bookmarks), and if any of you are ever in doubt whether you already left feedback on a story, just, you know, do it again...  
> Y'all thought I was dead, didn't you ;) So sorry for taking so(oooooo) long. The new semester started, progressed and then ended, (and now the next semester has started) I've been more focused on other stories and also been generally neglected by the muses. oh, and distracted by Age of Ultron, Daredevil and Civil War news and stuff

It was a lovely winter day. There were Christmas decorations all over the tower and Steve had set the table. Sam was putting finishing touches on the food and drink. James was carefully brushing Maggie's soft little curls before attempting to restrain them with a butterfly-shaped clip that glimmered gently. She was smart, there could be no doubt about that, but the concept of birthdays was entirely foreign to her and she looked somewhat apprehensive in her fancy little dark blue sailor-style dress with a big white collar and bow.  
She would look even more apprehensive at the sight of a roomful of adults belting out 'Happy Birthday!' - which was exactly why that wasn't happening. Also because unfortunately Steve wasn't the only one among the Avengers and their retainers who was afflicted with a tragic case of complete tone-deafness. 

Sometimes he was still overwhelmed by the sheer number of people he'd met over the past two months, each with their own, sometimes challenging, personality. And he didn't even know all of them yet. Thor and a Dr Jane Foster were only today coming by for the first time since James had arrived. 

A sharp, insistent noise from Maggie brought him back to the present. She had grabbed the impossibly tiny, very purple and sparkly hairbrush while he'd zoned out and was now gnawing delightedly on the handle. He gave her a look, but it faltered more quickly than it formed at the picture she made with her big eyes wide and full of mischief. James sighed fondly and pried her tiny hands off the thing as gently as he could. The doorbell rang just as he managed it. He picked Maggie up, dropping a quick kiss on her head before entering into the main room. Romanoff grinned wide when she spotted them, coming over immediately and cooing softly in Russian, which made Maggie giggle in delight. They were both quite quickly forgotten however as soon as Barton and his dog came in through the door. 

"Woo-woo!" Maggie exclaimed insistently, and started wiggling until the archer made his way over to them. Lucky beamed up at the small human, wagging his tail so hard his whole body shook. Maggie fussed until James set her down with an indulgent sigh, immediately attaching herself to the dog's neck in a fierce hug. He was just the right height for her to stand comfortably while holding on to his soft golden fur. Walking by herself was as of yet still a work in progress, but the dog was possessed of a saint-like patience. 

"Gently." James reminds her reflexively, not that he needs to. She's always too awed to be rough and as already mentioned - saint-like patience. 

"Looks like my work here is done." Barton smirked and strolled away to steal a cupcake. James managed a look before it was already too much, _too much_ , and he sank to his knees beside Maggie and the dog, focusing entirely on them and not the growing cacophony of voices. Steve and Sam would handle it, he knew, and it wasn't like the other denizens of the Tower weren't used to a certain degree of erratic  behavior from him, or each other, for that fact. At least he was making the effort to actually stay in the room instead of grabbing his child and bolting for the nearest exit. That had to count for something. 

He did manage to at least give a nod to the guests as they arrived, always keeping a look-out for possible sources of danger while he put himself between Maggie and the most likely points of entrance. 

Maggie cooed at the dog, chattering away happily as she lavished the animal with attention. Gradually, he felt his heartbeat slow, his breathing becoming less strained. Maggie turned to him, babbling still as excitedly, though the only 'words' that could be made out were still 'woo-woo' and 'dada'. 

 "You good, man?" Sam came over, giving him ample opportunity to prepare for his approach before he even spoke. James let his eyes sweep the room, confirming he hadn't lost track of the arrivals and briefly locking eyes with Steve and Lt. Col. Rhodes before coming back to Sam. 

"Still two short." he said by way of an answer, already scooping Maggie up on his hip as he made to rise. 

"Yeah, Dr Foster and Thor just got in the elevator downstairs. They'll be here any moment now."

James nodded, busying himself with needlessly wiping down the already spotless kitchen counter, psyching himself up for the mass of social interaction that would soon be required of him. Maggie seemed a bit annoyed at being removed from Lucky at first, but was quickly distracted by Sam pulling ridiculous face after ridiculous face, making her laugh. In the background, the door clicked open and then shut again, the chatter of voices swelling a moment before ebbing again. James was acutely aware of all of it. 

"Guuu!" Maggie said, very insistently, because how dare he keep her here, dogless, while excitement was evidently happening in the next room. James tossed the rag back in the sink, steeled himself, and walked over. 

 

His first impression was that Dr Jane Foster had to be the tiniest adult human he had ever seen other than Steve, while Thor had to have been the tallest, biggest, most commanding presence he ever laid eyes on. He'd have thought they looked almost absurd, but then again he'd been the re-freezable attack dog of an underground fascist cult who'd set out on a journey of bloody vengeance and emerged a single parent - and that wasn't even the strangest life story in this room at the moment. Who was he to judge a very pronounced height difference as anything? 

"Um, hi," he mumbled, ever the verbose conversationalist, and extended the hand not currently keeping a squirming one-year-old in a secure hold,"Thanks for coming." 

Dr Foster's smile was bright and a tad nervous, Thor's was soft and patient. 

"We are glad to be invited to these revels." Thor said kindly, giving James' hand a firm squeeze. 

"Hm, yeah, revels," Dr Foster grinned briefly like she was sharing an inside joke with herself. "We brought a present for the little one, too." She added and Thor turned to produce an absolutely massive box that made James' skin tingle for not having noticed it before. Maggie's eyes went wide and delighted at the shiny rainbow wrapping paper. Really, _how_ had he not noticed it? 

"Agaaah!" Maggie yelped, making a lunge for the present. She would have fallen if James' reflexes were any slower, not that she cared. The child seemed to have no concept of danger, gravity, or consequences. James sighed and adjusted a now pouting Maggie on his hip. 

"Slow down, young lady." he admonished softly, and behind him Tony Stark loudly butted in. "Is it presents time now? Steve? Steve, show him the table!"

"Calm down, Tony." Steve replied with a seriousness that was belied by the little smile he wore when he appeared at James' side, taking his turn in shaking Dr Foster's tiny hand, then clapping Thor on the shoulder, steering the Asgardian towards a side table on which a plethora of colorfully wrapped boxes and gift bags had been arranged. Rather artfully too, which he guessed was also Steve's accomplishment. Maggie's eyes had gone wide as saucers. 

"Dada?" she whispered reverently, placing a small hand on his shoulder. Overwhelmed, James had to turn away from the mass of guests a moment, only quickly locking eyes with Steve before he stepped closer to the display of presents. 

"You shouldn't have..." he said softly, his voice dangerously close to cracking. 

"He means 'Thank you'." Sam interpreted helpfully, earning a few chuckles. 

"Start with mine!" Someone said, inviting a whole barrage of similar requests, and he couldn't help it, he just had to laugh at the bunch of super heroes trying to one-up each other over a baby's birthday presents. It felt good though, it felt really good. 

"Let's just let her choose where to start." he suggested eventually, wiping at his eyes as he used his other arm to once again shift his hold on Maggie, who had been trying to squirm out of his grip for some moments now. That at least seemed to be something everyone could agree on. He shifted Maggie again so she could grab the packages more freely, which she did with gusto, diving for a parcel wrapped in bright red paper with a print of cutesy baby animals on it. 

Almost half an hour later and there was a huge pile of wrapping paper and discarded ribbons next to the table. Toys, clothes, what was possibly the world's softest blanket as well as a range of other stuff for babies and toddlers were again neatly arranged on the table. Sharon had brought by the official paperwork, a proper birth certificate for Maggie that listed James as her father, all kinds of papers for him - everything that was needed to once again exist  as a proper person and citizen in the modern world. 

From Tony and Pepper (but mainly from Tony) they got what was probably the most advanced baby monitor on the planet. 

"Audio, video, two-way speaker system, monitors vitals and is completely unhackable." Tony had declared proudly. It even had a remote component that would let him monitor Maggie from literal miles away, all of which was probably way too much, but it made him feel better, safer. 

And then there was the gift from Thor and Jane. It looked both antique and very high tech and James had no idea what it was supposed to be. 

"Ah, I think it's best to show you." Thor said sagely and pressed down on one of a few little round plates on the side of the contraption. It unfolded and started to float up until it hovered around the height of Thor's chest. Then colored light started streaming forth from it, unrolling until an area of a couple of square feet was projecting what looked like an image of a clear night sky, only much more intricate. Looking into it, James immediately felt soothed and calm in a way he hadn't in a long time. 

"Wow." he breathed involuntarily, and he wasn't to only one to be amazed. Maggie immediately crawled underneath the cosmic canopy, flopped down and stared up at the projection in wonder. 

"And this is Asgardian?" Steve asked lowly, sounding impressed. 

"Oh yes," Thor answered genially, "It's a device meant to be put above children's beds, to soothe them and lull them to sleep. My brother and I had one just like it when we were boys and spent many a night observing the stars this way." His voice sounded sad towards the end, but he shook it off quickly, smiling at Maggie's rapt expression as she cooed softly up at the projection. 

"That's amazing. Thank you." James said gratefully, once again shaking the couple's hands in gratitude. 

"I shall show you how to operate it during the next few days, though it is very simple." Thor promised. 

"Well, I guess we know who won best present now." Natasha remarked dryly, but without rancor as she bent and scooped Maggie up, making the little girl giggle. The Asgradian space night light was safely stowed away with the other presents and then it was time for the food to be served. Steve presented a delighted Maggie with a big cupcake with purple frosting and a single burning candle, which she managed to blow out with one huge breath (and some help from James), only to then smear most of the cake all over herself. 

"It's fine; it's all machine washable." James said an snapped another picture on the camera Bruce had given him. Everyone was enjoying themselves, his little girl was happy, and James felt at peace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> after much deliberation, I have decided to incorporate Age of Ultron into the timeline of this story, but I reserve the right to alter a few things about that canon. Basically I just wanted Bucky and Maggie to interact with the twins. I love the twins!


	4. Tiny Baby Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked at my previous research of dozens of pages of baby stuff despite the fact that none of it pertains to this  
> then I got my ass into gear and actually did some research ie watched tons of baby videos on youtube  
> enjoy some tooth rottingly sweet slightly seasonal fluff

Maggie took her first proper, unaided steps on Christmas morning, climbing out of her crib and tottering out of her room, across the hallway and into James' humble quarters, Bunny in hand. In fact, Bunny being dragged behind by one floppy ear. James only became aware of this when she peeked up over the edge of his bed, teeny tiny hands grabbing at the sheets as she attempted to pull herself up on the mattress. She had managed that particular feat exactly one time before, two days ago. To be absolutely precise James doesn't really wake until Bunny thwacks him square in the face, having been thrown up so Maggie had both hands free to climb, and, presumably, to scout ahead.

So, after being unceremoniously woken by plush toy turned missile the first thing he sees is the face of his baby scrunched up in concentration as she tried to pull herself up on his bed. This is worrying mainly because she shouldn't be able to climb out of her crib in the first place. Needless to say he goes from blissfully sleepy to wide awake and very alarmed at Mach 2. At least.

"Peanut, what even ...how?" he questions dumbly, like she's gonna tell him the elaborate tale of her early morning crib-break.

"Daaaah!" is, quite predictably, all he gets by way of an answer, and by then she's successfully pulled herself up (and a good portion of the sheet down). James has apparently been struck dumb because all he does next is watch as Maggie goes from frog squat to swaying stand, taking wobbly steps on the comparably soft surface, even though he needs his mattress to be as hard as Northern Central European midwinter soil. Maggie, unaffected to the utmost degree, takes three more wobbly steps and greets him by gently smacking his face.

"Dada! Bafoo! Bafoo!" she coos. Loudly, seeing as she's basically yelling right at his face.

If nothing else it manages to bring his wits back to him. He is, if possible, even more awake now. Maggie has lost interest in him now, instead bending down to reach for the tragically neglected Bunny. She overbalances and lands on her butt, looking quite offended at the general concept of gravity for a moment. James can't help but let out a loud snort of laughter at her expression before he scoops her up in his arms.

 

Steve's and Sam's expressions are a spectacle all unto themselves when they come into the open kitchen, roused by the smell of breakfast and coffee, to find Maggie tottering towards them at an ambitious velocity. She ends her energetic seven yard dash with a no less energetic face plant into the plush carpeting. Sam's expression takes a turn for the even more entertaining to watch; Steve audibly gasps. Maggie gets right back up, pouts a second, and off she goes again, though at a slightly more moderate speed. James can't help but laugh as he films with one hand while turning off the oven with the other. Maggie is happy just running circles around them apparently, not overly dismayed by the fact that she falls every so often. If anything it seems to just egg her on. The room is filled with the smell of warm cinnamon rolls and the sound of baby laughter.

"Seems like now that she's finally figured it out, she doesn't wanna stop." James says fondly in response to his friends' sleepy inquiry. "Apparently it was important enough to wake me up at the ass crack of dawn, too."

"Buck!" Steve says, scandalized, like he would never swear. Like he wasn't a damn soldier whose vocabulary of profanity could traverse three languages fluently. James spares one moment of fondly observing his daughter to shoot the good Captain a look to that effect. Sam sniggers at the exchange and steals a cinnamon roll.

"She's going to wear herself out. Eventually." he remarks, grinning at the soft 'bap bap bap' of tiny socked feet as Maggie once again crosses the border from living room carpet to kitchen tiles. Somehow she manages to almost always fall on the carpet. A second later there's a sudden weight and pull on James's leg as Maggie attaches herself to it.

"Seeno moro?" she chances with wide, hopeful and kind of hungry eyes.

"Yes, cinnamon rolls, peanut. You can have one as soon as you're in your chair, okay?"

She mulls this over a moment, considering her high chair pensively. Clearly her newfound sprinting abilities possess a strong pull. In the end, the cinnamon rolls prove stronger.

"Up." she assents graciously, raising chubby little arms above her head. James picks her up and deposits her gently in her chair, pulling it up to the island where they're all sitting. Content munching ensues all around.


	5. A Walk in the Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been 84 years and I'm sorry but the world is going to shit so have some cuteness before we are all incinerated in the 3rd world war because the new leader of the free world felt attacked (again) even though it could all have been prevented if the republican party weren't comprised of such power-hungry invertebrates desperately clinging on to life for seemingly the sole purpose of making everyone else's miserable, like ...

Maggie is a very energetic child, that's the truth of it. Sometimes he shudders to think what that means for the years to come, and the parenting blogs disagree wildly as to how many extra-curriculars are too many or not enough. As it is, she's only just a year old and a trip to the park is usually enough to tire her out for the afternoon nap. He'd found a lovely playground just a stone's throw away from the old neighborhood he and Steve grew up in. It's clean and well-equipped even for the tinier children, and accordingly popular among the young families of the wider area. 

After the fourth attempt someone there had made at flirting with him, he'd bribed Ms Lewis into accompanying him during her lunch break. It had worked spectacularly well, up until Dr Foster had been called away again by her busy schedule, prompting her assistant to go with her. Natasha came along twice, enjoying the slowly warming sunlight as winter gave way to spring, but with the missions and assignments James wasn't allowed to go on, she wasn't always available. The same counted of course for the rest of the team, notwithstanding the fact that at least half of them would draw unnecessary attention.

This was not a problem that Maria Hill shared. What she also didn't share - at least James had thought so - was an interest in frolicking around town with an infant and her amnesiac assassin, and currently unemployed, father. In this assumption, he was wrong. 

"Barnes, why is that lady glaring at me?" she inquired, nudging his side lightly with her foot since she was sitting up on a bench and he was currently perching in a sandbox with Maggie. 

"Which one?" he asked somewhat absently, more preoccupied with scooping sand into Maggie's new sand molds. They were shaped like dinosaur skeletons. Maggie was happy just whacking away at a small sand hill with her tiny shovel. And in his humble opinion, if he wanted dinosaur shaped sand molds, that was nobody's business.

"11 o'clock," Hill said lowly, "Grey peacoat, garish scarf, impractical heels and sunglasses in February." Her disdain was audible. James glanced up between positioning the sand mold and preventing Maggie from stuffing a handful of it into her mouth. Since he wasn't sure what exactly Hill would consider 'garish' he asked again. 

"The one who obviously inherited her mother's perm straight from the 80s."

Seeing as his experience and knowledge of the 80s was rather limited, he opted for a poignant look. Hill huffed and threw a cashew at him. She liked to bring small snacks on walks and the like. He caught it with annoying ease and popped it in his mouth. Hill huffed again. 

"You know what? Nevermind. Give me your camera. Also your baby is eating sand again." 

She was not quite, as of yet, but she was eyeing it with interest. Apparently she was of the opinion that her shovel-whacking had sufficiently slaughtered it. He hears the click of the camera as he snaps into action with a soft ' _No, Peanut, no._ ' Instead he resolves to show her the purpose of the molds, gently guiding that tiny hand with that tiny shovel to fill one with sand right up to the brim. Maggie lets him with a look that is half skepticism and half anticipation. She's like this most of the time, as if with every new discovery she's prepared to be amazed but equally ready to get the hell outta dodge if the thing turns out to be something she doesn't like. 

He plops the filled mold on the sandy ground, pressing down a bit for good measure, then carefully eases it away to reveal a perfect T-Rex skull. Maggie _oooh_ s a moment, then proceeds to squash it with the tiny palm of her tiny hand. Behind them, Hill let's out a massive snort that quickly dissolves into breathless laughter. He schools his features into a beleaguered expression before turning around to the woman, only to end up looking straight into the camera. How she manages to hold it perfectly still despite her ongoing laughing fit is beyond him. 

"Oh damn, I wish I'd gotten that on my phone!" Hill exclaims after having calmed down a bit. Meanwhile Maggie is busy creating a bouquet of incomplete T-Rex skulls, completely ignoring the parts that would make up the remaining dinosuar skeleton. 

"You'd only text it to every single one of the others." he grumbles in response to Hill's comment and repositions his legs so that the bloodflow to his feet is no longer cut off. 

"Of course I would, otherwise what would be the point?" she actually took a closer look at the camera, presumably to discern whether it was possible to transfer the video she had taken between devices. Then her eyeslit up. "Or..."

"No." he said, in the stern dad voice he'd acquired over the past half year. It didn't work on Hill. Part of that might have had to do with the fact that one's intimidation factor lessens considerably when one is having one's foot buried under sand by a baby in a playground. Hill snickered as her fingers tapped over the small touchscreen. Why oh why had Stark thought it necessary to hook the camera up to a personal Avengers team cloud? And why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut about the texting? James leaned his back against the bench and huffed in resignation. 

"You and Wilson deserve each other. At least tell me it wasn't a video." 

"Of course it was, don't be ridiculous. What do you take me for?" James made a face. Hill snort-laughed more and clicked 'send', then finally lowered the phone. "She's gonna love this stuff when she's all grown up. It's tooth-rottingly adorable."

"Why must you say such horrid things to me. 'All grown up' - seriously-" he sulked, brushing some sand off his shin. And because he was a mature adult coming up on his first century he remained dignified and continued playing with his baby in the sandbox and demonstratively ignoring Hill. She seemed amused by this, which was somewhat annoying. He managed to focus completely on his daughter for a little over two hours, which was when she started to get fussy and bored with sand, and with the slide, and with the swings. A fussy Maggie was  grumpy Maggie and a grumpy Maggie was a Maggie who liked to voice her dismay. Loudly. He saw her lip quiver in warning and decided that it was time to head back home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...mcconnel, mcain, seshers, pencel and the rest of that troupe in which inexplicably every single one looks like an evil garden gnome, just ...keep on towards the light my guys. let it go. ya know how one isn't supposed to speak ill of the dead? take advantage of that. let people have fucking health care, you demons. I've had health care all my life and it's neato.


End file.
